


Street Music

by Freedom_Shamrock



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - No Kwamis, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Bisexual Character, Busking, Eventual Lukadrienette, F/M, Fashion & Couture, Fluff, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Multi, No direct angst, Polyamory, Slow Burn, Stage Names
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-27
Updated: 2020-09-09
Packaged: 2021-01-04 12:22:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 18,841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21197597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Freedom_Shamrock/pseuds/Freedom_Shamrock
Summary: Adrien and Luka are a duo of very talented street musicians and Marinette is a very stressed-out young executive who starts spending her lunch breaks outside just to listen to them play.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [GalahadWilder](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GalahadWilder/gifts).

> Many thanks to GalahadWilder for making this delightful idea available to the public over on [Tumblr](https://galahadwilder.tumblr.com/post/188561455958/luka-got-adrien-out-of-his-bad-family-situation).

Marinette rushed down the stairs and out the front door to the sidewalk, moving as though pursued by a pack of rabid dogs. To be fair, the metaphor was terrifyingly apt. Going into fashion, she'd known it was a demanding fast-paced industry, but she hadn't expected the preponderance of superficial relationships and cutthroat backstabbing. 

As the youngest executive at Miraculous Fashions, and indeed the youngest by far currently employed by any Parisian design house, she'd had a target painted on her back from day one. She had the innate talent and skill necessary to excel, and she was damn good at her job, but days like today made her question whether it was worth it. She'd given up so much to achieve this early success, and she was starting to wonder if this was really what she wanted anymore.

As an only child with doting parents, she'd always been close to her family. She hadn't seen them in three months, and they lived in the same city. She hadn't participated in a social event that didn't involve networking or representing Miraculous in over six months. Of course, she didn't really have anyone inviting her out anymore, either. She'd pulled away from her friends so gradually and unthinkingly that she hadn't even realized it was happening until she could barely consider herself more than an acquaintance with anyone. Her old group of close friends had carried on with their lives, no longer notifying her of their milestones. It had been the text from her papa this morning that made her realize she'd apparently thrown away more than she'd ever intended. He'd sent a photo of her long-time best friend friend next to the wedding cake he'd delivered to her reception venue.

Marinette hadn't even known she was engaged.

The warm spring air closed around her like an embrace as her feet hit the cement, but rather than savoring the moment, she continued down the sidewalk in a rush. If there was one thing that could be said about Marinette, it was that she was always in motion. The designers and photographers found her decisive and deliberate, characteristics that carried over into all her work and personal behaviors. Today, she'd been utterly unhesitating in getting the fuck out of the office during the brief lunch break that appeared in her schedule, thanks to a cancellation. For once she didn't have a plan. She just needed to get away from everything at Miraculous or she'd scream.

The music was the first thing to penetrate her stress-shielded mind. The sound was so different from what she'd become used to. Instead of the usual jazz or accordion-heavy valse musette, it was a jaunty tune on fiddle and something like an accordion, but gentler. Her steps slowed and she looked around, finding she'd gotten almost all the way to the wide promenade along the Seine, blocks from Miraculous with no memory of the walk. A pair of musicians were just up ahead, their backs to the high retaining wall, and a collection of instrument cases behind them. The blond man sat on a laughably tiny stool, his hands compressing and drawing out a little concertina. The other man, whose black hair had been dyed teal at the tips, stood over his partner as his bow flew over the strings of his fiddle. She wanted to say they were playing an Irish reel, but she was pretty illiterate musically. Whatever it was, it lightened her mood, pulling her out of the funk.

She found herself wandering in their direction. The scent of various foods sold at the nearby carts hit her nose, and her stomach complained loudly. Skipping lunch was almost routine, and she hadn't even thought about food when she'd run out of the office. She patted her purse and walked over to a crepe vendor, where she could still hear the music.

"Did our lovely lads draw you in, then?" the man asked as he smoothly ladled batter over the griddle.

Marinette glanced back at him, realizing her eyes kept darting over to the musicians. "Oh. Um. Do you know them?"

The vendor smiled. "They're here regularly, and business is always better when they are."

She found herself smiling back, feeling warmer than she had all morning. "I may have to come by more often," she said, surprised to find that she meant it. "It's a nice break from the chaos in my office."

"It's definitely a pick-me-up," the vendor agreed. He spooned berries and cream onto her crepe before expertly folding it and tucking it into a waxed paper sleeve. "Enjoy your day, miss."

"I think I shall," she agreed. "You too."

The song wrapped up and the fiddler put away his instrument, pulling out another that she'd never seen before. It looked like two of her parents' large metal mixing bowls welded together at the openings to make an imperfect sphere. The man sat on a little rug, settling the instrument in the nest of his crossed legs.

"For those of you who are new to our performances," the blond spoke, his voice a pleasant tenor. "You may be wondering what exactly Viperion has there." He grinned, showing off perfect white teeth. "It's a special handpan called a Hang or Hang drum, and Vipe's been working with it for the last year. Please enjoy." He turned away to put his concertina in a case while Viperion's hands flowed over the surface of his drum.

Marinette froze, mid-bite as the simultaneously haunting and soothing sound poured out. She'd never heard anything like it. Her brain insisted it should sound like a steel drum, but the notes held and carried like a singing bowl. Angels. It was clearly the sound of angels, haunting and ephemeral, and so very soothing. She sighed, belatedly swallowing her lump of crepe as she felt the last of her frustration melt away.

Yes. She would definitely have to come back again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Marinette's response to the sound of the hang is a mirror of mine, only I was on State Street in Madison, WI rather than along the Seine, and the music of [Shlomo Calvo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DHFBqJlo3o&list=PLPXhft4ni41P0joxYefgDWYVt3ulz0GcN&index=1) summoned me up the street in the direction I wasn't planning on going.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A peek into the lives of Adrien and Luka.

"Did you see?" Adrien asked, flopping down on the couch beside his boyfriend. "She was there again today." His smile was a mix of excited and shy, an expression Luka was very familiar with, even if he hadn't seen it directed at himself in a while. He'd been the sole recipient of those giddy smiles well into dating and even for a while after he'd convinced the sweet young man to leave his abusive father to move in with him. It had brought a cascade of life changes for both of them, but more for the green-eyed former model he'd somehow managed to woo.

"You're so cute when you're crushing, luv," Luka said, reaching out to lightly brush Adrien's cheek with two fingers. He'd always been the grounded and calm one, while Adrien had been so rigidly controlled and stifled in his youth that he would probably never rein in his emotions again. He was like a puppy, and it was always clear exactly what he felt, even to people who didn't have Luka's special knack. "I'll admit I've missed seeing it."

Adrien's pale cheeks went pink, and he ducked his head, looking away for a moment. When he turned back, his expression was earnest. "You know I'm not going to leave you, right? I would never." He leaned in to press his forehead to Luka's. "I love you. I want to be with you forever."

Luka pulled Adrien into his arms, loving the way the other man melted against him. "I'm not worried," he whispered. They'd been together for nearly five years, and were as happy as they'd been when their whirlwind romance started. "You feel everything so intensely, with every fiber of your being, and I love that about you." He pushed his hand into Adrien's messy hair, massaging his scalp with the calloused fingertips, and smiling when his boyfriend hummed into his neck. "Your I-have-a-crush allegro is beautiful, and I love it as much as I love you."

Adrien whined, embarrassed and probably a bit overwhelmed, but his strong arms wrapped around Luka's waist. They fit together so nicely.

"Anyway, don't you remember?" Luka asked, slowly running his up and down the length of Adrien's back. "You don't have to feel weird about it. You're not the only one crushing on her, after all." He felt Adrien's laugh against him, such a sweet song. 

They'd first noticed the young woman two weeks back when she was buying crepes. Everything in her aura told Luka she was frustrated and hurt, possibly at the end of her rope. She'd ended up watching most of their set. By the time she'd left, her tune had changed, and while there was still a bit of dissonance, she'd been more content and balanced. Nothing made their day more than lifting the spirits of others, and she'd been the most dramatic they'd ever seen. Even Adrien had seen it, and his sweetheart could be terribly oblivious at times. 

The young woman had been back nearly every day since, and while she was never in the low spot of that first day, she was clearly working through something, and she apparently found their music helpful. It was an honor to give a little peace to someone like that. She was young, around their age, and her clothes and manner screamed that she was in some high level business position. She probably had all sorts of stress, something Adrien could heavily empathize with.

Adrien had spent so much of his youth in a cycle of trying to please his cold father by doing everything he asked, no matter how uncomfortable he was about it. His efforts always failed, as his father would only accept perfection, leaving Adrien to wallow in self loathing and doubt. Now that he'd broken ties with his father, his goal was to bring joy to people, to lighten their hearts as Luka had lightened his. While the two of them could have easily signed with an eclectic label and done the whole record tour thing, the variety and intimacy of busking suited them both far more than a life of constant travel. They preferred to interact directly with their audience. In an effort to be responsible, and leave both Adrien's model savings and most of the trust fund from his mother untouched, they'd set up their spare bedroom as a recording studio. They'd recently finished it, and spent their non-busking days writing music and recording tracks for possible future albums.

"We should write her a song," Adrien suggested. "She's so pretty, and I bet she's super sweet."

Luka chuckled. "Anton the crepe seller thinks she's pretty sweet."

Adrien straightened up and frowned. "He can't have her. He's too old for her." He sniffed.

Luka guffawed at that. "Jealous, are we?"

"How haven't you already started a song for her?" Adrien demanded. "She's exactly the sort of person who trips all your creative switches." He tapped Luka's chest firmly with his index finger.

"Oh, you mean like you do?" Luka grinned.

Adrien rolled his eyes. "Fine, be that way. I'll just make her my muse." He pushed himself up off the couch. "And I already have an idea for the melody."

"Good," Luka said. "She deserves two songs. All the better to pull her out of the rough patch she's having."

"You  **are** writing her something," Adrien crowed with delight. "I knew it!"

"You weren't wrong about her being an ideal muse, and there's no rule that she can't be both of ours, you know." He grinned. "I've put a nice guitar and glockenspiel piece together for us to play."

"Yes!" Adrien bounced on the balls of his feet. "Is it ready for me to see?"

"Close," Luka said. A lot of his pieces came about from improvisation, but once in a while he needed to go the more traditional route with his compositions. Adrien was the opposite.

"Do you want to work with me on mine then?" Adrien asked. "I'm kind of shooting from the hip this time."

"Ooh, very sexy," Luka said, wiggling his eyebrows. "Show me that melody, and we'll see what we can come up with. Maybe it'll help me with finishing my piece." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Glockenspiel + guitar](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaQrs8c2Jkw)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette at the beginning of her journey of self-rediscovery. Her soundtrack is provided by some hot buskers who could not possibly be flirting with her.

Marinette paused to take a deep breath, savoring the late spring air as she let the door of Miraculous close behind her. It was silly to feel so happy over something so simple, something that had once been utterly normal. But then again, it had been ages since she'd gone out into Paris in search of ideas for her designs. She supervised a small team of designers and pushed herself to create the very best, but none of her work in the last two years had been remotely inspired. Gorgeous and competent, yes, but every piece was calculated and crafted solely on trends and lines in the overall collection. That had never been her plan. She'd lost sight of the art and the joy of creation in the face of a position that declared her successful.

Learning that Alya and Nino had gotten married had forced her to see how much she'd given up in her pursuit of her career. It made her realize that while the fashion industry considered her a success, she'd gone far off track from her true goal along the way. Bit by bit, she was working toward recovering the version of herself that she'd always intended to be, the version she'd lost sight of. 

She'd started by reclaiming her lunch breaks. No other designer or exec surrendered this time as readily as she had. Sure, others would hold lunch meetings or work through the noon hour on occasion, but it was the exception, not the rule. She'd blocked her lunch time in the schedule, and when possible took her lunch on the Seine's promenade, immersed in an atmosphere that was uniquely Parisian. 

The busker duo of Chat Noir and Viperion provided a beautiful accompaniment to the scene, playing uplifting music on a variety of instruments, from the obscure Hang and duduk to the more familiar penny whistle and guitar. To be totally honest, she owed them a debt of gratitude she wasn't sure she could ever repay. If it weren't for their music on that awful fateful day, she may have despaired and given up on achieving her old dreams. She may have buckled down harder into her situation out of stubbornness. She certainly wouldn't be rediscovering her happiness.

Though she was eager to reach her destination, she didn't rush now. She moved carefully through the lunch time crowd, careful not to bump anyone with the folded tripod stool strapped to her back. The beautiful wearable pochade box her parents had gifted her after graduating from lycée had remained unused since she started at Miraculous. It looked like a beechwood and brass briefcase, and she was surprised to find that simply carrying it lifted her heart. The last two days near the Seine had filled her mind with ideas, truly Parisian ideas for designs, and today she was going to capture some of that energy.

As she approached, the fragrant food carts caught her attention, but she was unaccountably anxious by the lack of music. Once the space came into sight, though, she was able to relax. The distinctive young men were setting up their stage, pulling instrument cases off a little cart and arranging them. From their banter and interactions when performing, she'd learned that the black haired man with teal dip dye and stunning blue eyes went by the stage name Viperion. His blond partner, in all ways based on the obvious affection between them, used the name Chat Noir. There was nothing cat-like about him, other than perhaps the way he walked. He was lithe and graceful, and today he was wearing a slightly tattered blue hoodie that was clearly a size too large. Grown men should not be allowed to be so adorable.

"Good to see you back again Miss Marinette," Anton called from his cart.

"Lovely to see you, too," Marinette replied as she looked over the space. She wanted to be able to see the musicians and the Seine, and she needed to be out of the direct path of pedestrians so her box wouldn't get jostled as she worked. "I'll take my usual, if you please."

"I've got fresh strawberries in this morning, the first of the season," he mentioned.

"Oh my god, yes," she agreed, giving him a smile. "That sounds heavenly." She settled her pochade box on the ground and slipped the stool's strap from her shoulder, quickly spreading out the three legs and making sure the seat was stable. She would enjoy the crepe first. 

She had settled into her spot with her lunch before the young men were fully set up. She tried not to read anything into the brief glances they each shot her way. She utterly failed, of course. They probably just recognized her as a regular, and she supposed it was nice to have people who routinely made it to their performances. But something about the look in Viperion's eye and the pink in Chat Noir's cheeks made her imagination insist there was more to it. 

She hadn't dated since Kelly broke up with her shortly after she joined the team at Miraculous, and she suddenly realized how much she missed doting on someone and being doted on in return. It was leading her to have wildly inappropriate fantasies involving real people who were obviously in committed relationships. While she'd made strides in the last few weeks, there was a lot of ground to cover yet. She wasn't girlfriend material just now, but in time, she could be if she kept on this path. Socializing needed to come first. Getting out of the house and being with people. Proving that she could do that without running back to her stupid career mono focus.

The sweet notes of a flute pulled her out of her head. She looked up to see Chat Noir standing with a bamboo flute to his lips. His eyes were closed as he slowly swayed to the music he played. She hadn't seen him play this instrument before, which meant this was music she hadn't heard from them, too. She enjoyed their regular tunes, but it was always exciting to hear something new. Viperion sat on a tiny camp stool, an erhu resting over his left thigh. He winked and gave her a slow smile. She glanced around quickly, but there was no one else around her, so there was no mistaking the flirt he'd definitely sent to her. Feeling stupidly giddy, she smothered a giggle and admired her toes before leaning down to pull her pochade into her lap.

She glanced up to see the dark-haired man was still grinning at her. A moment later, he raised his bow and joined in. The song was vaguely familiar, and probably Chinese influenced. She'd learned the men played a mix of covers and original music, and she'd yet to hear something she didn't enjoy. Her maman would love this, she realized. Seeing two white men fully appreciating some of her favorite instruments, would bring her great happiness. She took out her phone and snapped a quick picture to send, before slipping the pochade's strap around her left shoulder and down to her waist, leaving her right arm free as her work space hung in front of her.

She opened the box and pulled out a pencil before rotating and flipping the lid so she could use the sketchpad clamped inside. Modern music played on traditional Chinese instruments by French men gave her exactly the spark she needed to create something new.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The music the boys are playing is their take on [Flight of the Silverbird](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-Dh3ftkRAs) by Two Steps from Hell.  
If you're unfamiliar with pochade boxes (holy hell they are cool), they were made popular by Friench plein-air artists. Marinette's is based loosely on the [Travel Painter](https://travelpainter.art/) retooled a bit to fit a drawing artist rather than a painter.  
The erhu is a two-stringed bowed instrument from north eastern China (most likely of Mongolian origin).  
The dizi is a Chinese transverse flute (held to the side rather than like a recorder or penny whistle), traditionally made of bamboo.


	4. Chapter 4

Adrien held the apartment door open so Luka could haul in their little trolley loaded up with instruments from the day's work. Luka paused as he passed him, just long enough to brush his nose against Adrien's jaw, finishing with a kiss under his ear. Adrien closed his eyes and let out a contented sigh. He treasured every one of his boyfriend's affectionate touches despite their frequency. Growing up in a cold house ruled by an authoritarian and controlling parent meant he'd rarely felt true affection after his mother died. The casual touches of tailors and designers were too fleeting and rare. The startling uninvited grabs of obsessive fans had done nothing but make him feel even less of a human than he already did.

Before bumping into Luka at a specialty musical instrument store, he'd spent a rough year cycling through the women and men his father deemed worthy of dating. He'd been arm candy for a number of celebrities who reflected well on the brand. Mistaking touch for affection, he'd always let things go too hot too fast. In the moment, he'd always felt wanted and needed. But later when they tired of his personality or it became clear that they had no shared interests, they dumped him, leaving him feeling used and dirty.

Gabriel Agreste loathed Luka the moment his nineteen year old son brought him home. He had no sway or control over this outsider with no connection to the fashion industry. He'd fostered Adrien's independence and showed him what real love looked like.

"You take care of the deposit and I'll get the instruments put away, yeah?" Luka asked, pressing his lips to Adrien's cheek.

"Hmmm." Adrien hummed happily. "Then some cuddles," he suggested.

"Calm or sweaty cuddles?" Luka asked, a chuckle in his chest.

Adrien slowly shook his head and opened his eyes. "Any. Whatever you want."

Luka raised one eyebrow slightly. "What about what you want?" It had been a regular question when they first got together, and he still brought it up now and then.

"I just want to be near you," Adrien said.

Luka ran his fingers through Adrien's hair. "Sounds perfect, luv."

Adrien snatched their collection basket off the trolley and headed for the living room. They split the clean-up tasks, taking turns with either the money or the gear, and while they didn't keep track, it felt fair and equitable. He sorted out the tips into piles of like bills while sitting in half lotus on Luka's meditation rug. While they both practiced, it had been Luka's before they got together, and he liked to think of it as something belonging to his amazing boyfriend that Adrien had been invited to share.

He pulled something out of the basket that was definitely not money. He held up a business-size envelope, setting it aside for the moment. They occasionally got messages of praise or contacts for gigs through their busking. By the time the basket was empty, he could hear the soft footsteps of Luka returning from their studio.

"We got an envelope today," Adrien said. "Want to open it."

Luka rushed over, his blue eyes wide and his smile eager. "You can open it."

Adrien hesitated, looking over his boyfriend with a critical eye. He looked far too excited. "What do you know that I don't?"

Luka laughed and sat on the couch behind him. "Nothing."

"Really?" Adrien asked archly. "Nothing?"

Luka shook his head, making the teal tipped black strands bounce like a commercial for a hair product. "I have suspicions, that's all."

"Suspicions?" Adrien drawled.

Luka nodded. "I'd rather not say in case I'm wrong." He gestured urgently to the envelope. "Just open it, and we'll see."

With a little eye roll, Adrien slipped his finger under the flap to break the seal. He pulled out the folded piece of paper, spilling a business card and two bills much larger than he was accustomed to seeing in their tip basket. "Holy shit." He snatched up the business card and waved it at Luka.  **Her ** smiling face beamed at them from the left side of the stiff cardstock. "Holy shit, Luka. It's from her."

Luka caught Adrien's wrist, holding it steady, and a warm smile appeared on his face. "Her name is Marinette."

Adrien feigned swooning to lean against Luka's legs. "Marinette," he whispered. "Even her name sounds sweet."

Luka nudged Adrien's thumb, moving it off the text, but didn't tug the card out of his fingers. "I think I know why she's been so stressed." He shook his head. "She can't be any older than us, but she's already an executive designer at Miraculous."

"She's a designer?" Adrien said in surprise, his heart sinking a little as he pulled the card back to read it. "I should've run into her at some point."

"Maybe she never partnered with Gabriel," Luka suggested.

Adrien nodded. It was a fair suggestion. "But I would have expected  **him** to be trying to recruit her fresh out of school if she was good enough to become an exec that quickly. I should've heard about her."

"It would have probably been around the time you left home though," Luka pointed out, then he sighed. "She's a designer, luv." His voice was soft, subdued.

Adrien thought about that for a moment, recognizing what Luka wasn't saying outright. "Being a designer… doesn't make her a horrible person." The idea that they'd entertained, the fantasy that she might be open to dating them was a dream. There were so many factors that had to align for it to work, and the likelihood was so low. But it made him happy to imagine adding her to their life. He didn't want to let go of it yet.

"Do you want to read her note before we consider anything else?" Luka asked.

Adrien sniffed and nodded, flipping open the paper. "Oh," he whispered. "It's handwritten." Her writing was pretty, with smooth curled strokes. " _ Chat Noir and Viperion _ ," he read aloud. " _ For the last month, I have been enjoying your music far more than I think you can possibly imagine, and I owe you a great debt of gratitude. _ " He smiled, warmth flowing back into his heart. His father would never have written something like that. He wouldn't have expressed gratefulness for anything, as he felt he was owed anything he wanted. " _ I was having a rough day in the middle of a rough week and month, and had only just come to the realization that my decisions had pulled me away from what truly mattered. Your music was the balm I needed, soothing and inspiring me to find myself again. Your music and performances have helped guide and ground me, and I'm happier than I've been in years. _ " He looked up at Luka. "We've made her happy."

Luka's warm lips pressed against his forehead. "That's our mission, isn't it?" he asked. "Bringing joy to Paris, even if it's one person at a time?"

Adrien nodded and turned back to the letter. " _ If you are available and interested in booking yourselves for events, I am responsible for the planning of an upcoming funders' gala at Miraculous, and would love to hire you to provide music. Your eclectic performance would be a breath of fresh air at this sort of event. _ " Adrien dissolved into giggles. "We're no classical string quartet, that's for certain." He'd attended so many snobby funder events, required to schmooze for his father. " _ I would also like to meet with you to discuss the name of a new line that your music has played a strong role in inspiring. _ "

"Oh my god," Luka whispered. "We've become her muse, too."

Adrien had to pause to swallow the lump in his throat. " _ I understand if neither of these are of interest to you, so please contact me to let me know either way. If nothing else, I'd love to know when you plan to play the dizi and erhu set again, as I believe my mother would very much enjoy hearing you. Sincerely, Marinette. _ " His hand felt like it was shaking, but the paper was steady. Luka leaned forward to wrap his arms around him, and he relaxed into the warmth and comfort.

"You don't have to decide right now," Luka murmured. "But it's your call on this, okay?"

Adrien nodded. "She's nothing like Gabriel."

"Clearly," Luka agreed.

"I… I want to meet her for real," he admitted.

Luka's arms tightened a moment. "Me too."

"She… she may not be anything like we've imagined," Adrien said. "But I… want to anyway."

"That's a fair point," Luka agreed. "And sometimes reality is better than what we imagine. I know you are."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Between last chapter and this chapter, my great Aunt died. She was 97, and had spent the last year and a half with increasing memory issues, so this wasn't unexpected. But it has thrown a wrench in things a bit and I'm a little behind on some of my regular work. I have a denouement to finish for the novel coming out in December and an ATLA piece I've committed to. So just a heads up that while I will be continuing this, and the other works I've been meaning to get back to, but there may be some delays as I try to balance everything.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette finally gets to sit down with Luka and Adrien for a real conversation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the kind words, here, on Tumblr, and over Discord. You're all reminding me how nice it can be to be part of a fandom community.

Marinette firmly stomped on the ridiculous enthusiasm that kept bubbling up in her chest as she made her way to the cafe. While this was a business meeting of sorts, she got the feeling that she didn't need to stick with the professional apparel to appeal to Viperion and Chat Noir, or rather, Luka and Adrien. So she'd left work at a sensible time and went home to change into something casual. Still stylish and very flattering, of course, she was a designer. And she  **did ** want to impress them.

She'd been prepared for them to find her letter creepy or a bit too fan-girlish in nature, but she'd been compelled to thank them for what they'd unknowingly done for her. They probably touched many people's hearts and lives over the course of a day, and she wanted them to know that they were adding something beautiful to the world. Then they'd called her that evening. Adrien, who used Chat Noir as his stage name, had sounded honored and thrilled on the phone. He'd gone a little shy when she gushed about their most recent performance, and she wondered if he was blushing. God, that would be a sight to see!

She'd heard Luka in the background as they tried to figure out a good time and place to meet. She could have done it during the workday, since some of their conversation would be Miraculous related, but she also didn't want to interfere with their work. Apparently she'd guessed correctly, and they did take gigs, which meant they had to work around any of those that were already on their schedule. Despite the conflicts, they managed to arrange something only four days out. She'd been a stupid mess ever since.

She distracted herself by continuing to push her self-awareness and her personal career goals, rather than those of the Miraculous board. She'd sent an e-mail to Alya, apologizing for letting her career take over her life and congratulating her on her marriage. Surely others had stepped in to be her best friend along the way, and Marinette didn't hold out much hope, but if they could regain any kind of friendship, it would be worth the effort. She'd sent messages to a couple of her other friends from Lycee and university. 

She started attending a meditation class at a traditional Chinese medicine shop in her parents' neighborhood on Sundays, which made it easy to join her parents for dinner the last five weeks. The first meal had been awkward and stiff, with her parents tripping over themselves to try to accommodate her without irritating her. They'd blamed themselves for her long absence and were afraid they'd push her away again. It had gotten better after she explained that she'd only just recently realized how lost she'd gotten, and that she was working to fix all the damage she'd done, starting with her relationship with them. They'd all been teary wet messes, but there were some happy tears in there. The weeks since had been much better, and she felt like the changes she'd made were really making a difference.

"Hey Marinette!" Luka and Adrien were already there, sitting at a little round table just big enough for the three of them. They waved at her as she walked in and she was unreasonably pleased that they recognized her.

"Hi, I'll be with you in just a sec," she replied, heading to the counter to order. When she tried to pay, the barista wove her off. 

"Already paid for by your totally hot boyfriends," the woman behind the counter insisted. "You're totally living your best life, and I'm frankly jealous." She grinned.

"Oh, uh…" she stammered, feeling her cheeks heat up. It wasn't worth correcting. "Thanks." She tried to push the giddiness away, but it was hard. A stranger thinking they looked good together and making an assumption was  **not ** a sign. Totally not. She spun and walked over to the guys who stood up as she approached. "Thanks so much for meeting with me."

"The pleasure is all ours," Adrien insisted, sweeping up her hand and bowing as he kissed her knuckles. The motion was entirely too smooth to not be well-practiced.

Luka rolled his light eyes at his boyfriend's theatrics. "He's not wrong," he agreed, pressing his palms together in front of his chest. "Namaste, Marinette."

She returned his greeting and gave them each a smile that hurt her cheeks. She couldn't help it, and didn't want to downplay how happy they made her. 

She settled into the third chair, opening her mini attache case to slip out her tablet. "I have two proposals to run by you, which do you want first?" She expected it to be more of a struggle to discard her usual official business meeting mode in favor of something more casual, but they made it effortless with their gentle smiles and easy-going manner.

"Tell us about this gig," Adrien suggested. "What are you looking for and do you have a date already?"

Marinette nodded. "It's three months out… do you book out that far?"

Luka nodded. "But we don't have much on the schedule past the next month and a half."

She sighed in relief, and swiped through her tablet until she found the month she needed. "Six to nine in the evening, here." She turned the tablet toward them so they could see the entire event entry on her calendar. "We would provide transportation for you and your gear, as well as dinner during the presentation portion of the evening, on top of your hourly or event rate."

"Oooh, fancy," Adrien murmured.

Luka looked from her tablet to his phone. "Yeah. We're available." His smile was slow and sweet and did stupid things to her heart rate. "As you've seen, we play a wide range of music. What are you looking for, for this event."

"I'm hoping for the usual Chat Noir and Viperion Parisian busking experience, actually," she admitted. "Or a little of that flavor mixed with your more classical work."

Adrien looked extra pleased. "This is very different from the usual funders' gala."

"Oh," she said in surprise. "Have you been to these kinds of events before?"

" **He** has," Luka said, pointing to his boyfriend with his thumb. "His youth was full of this kind of thing."

She stared at Adrien. "You're full of surprises, aren't you."

Adrien visibly preened for a moment. "You're looking at the former long-term face of Gabriel," he said, shrugging. "I've seen all sides of your industry."

She covered her mouth as she finally recognized him. His father had been one of her childhood idols, falling from that position when he'd been so publicly awful to his son. "Oh my god. I had posters of you on my wall in lycee!"

Both men laughed, but it was a warm sound, and made her feel okay about blurting that out.

She shook her head. "Sixteen year old me would be slapping me right now for not recognizing you." His past explained his familiarity and his gracefulness. She reached out and rested her hand on top of one of his for a moment. "Happiness is a much better look on you than anything Gabriel ever designed. It's really nice to see you doing so well."

It turned out that he was freaking adorable when he blushed, ducking his chin and smiling bashfully.

His background made her worry, though. "With that in mind, though, I'd understand if you'd rather not come to a fashion business event."

His head jolted up and his green eyes darted toward her. "Do… do you not want us to come?" he asked, in a voice that was more meek than she expected. Luka's hand was instantly on his shoulder, soothing. "Is it me? Would I be… a bad fit?"

She shook her head, horrified. "No, not at all," she insisted. "I'd love to have you both there. I just meant that I'd understand it if you didn't want anything to do with fashion. Anyone who's been in the industry in the last ten years knows how horrible Gabriel was to you. I wouldn't want to drag you back into an environment that's uncomfortable." She watched Luka's hand squeeze Adrien's shoulder before running down his arm to cover the blond's fisted hand on the table.

Adrien nodded. His relief was palpable, but words seemed to have escaped him.

"That's incredibly understanding," Luka said, his voice soft.

"I'm so sorry." Their reaction made her chest tighten uncomfortably as tingles of discomfort ran down her left arm. "I didn't mean to make things awful. I'm so clumsy with words sometimes."

Luka's smile was reassuring. "It's a sensitive subject, but we kind of knew that coming here tonight."

Marinette nodded. "Well I promise I would really love to hire you for our entertainment, both because you're incredibly talented, and because it will really fit the event. But I also understand if this isn't something you want to do."

The barista showed up and delivered all their drinks and a small plate of scones. "You guys didn't have to do this," she said, gesturing to the treats. "I seriously could have expensed it." She'd fully planned on throwing it on her Miraculous purchasing card.

"We know how to shmooze new clients," Adrien said, his smile wasn't quite as bright as it had been, but it felt real.. 

She giggled, surprised by the response.

"And to be fair, you gave us an unreasonably large tip the other day," Luka pointed out.

Marinette shook her head. "No. It wasn't unreasonable." She let out a heavy sigh. "You read the letter I left with it, and I promise you I wasn't exaggerating anything. I lost myself in my work, in the chase for the next position and title, all the things that I'd been told made me successful. I'd abandoned my true dream and the creativity that drew me to design to begin with." She had so much regret, but talking about it didn't make her cry anymore. She'd been filled with purpose. "You two and your music helped me find all of that again, and there is no way I could possibly repay you for that."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Started writing what I thought would be part 5, to realize it's going to be part 7 because some other stuff needed to happen first. So there's a future chapter out there, almost ready to go once I get 6 figured out.
> 
> I'm off to edit for my clients and then finish that denouement that's hanging over my head. Have a great day!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien and Luka decompress after their meeting with Marinette.

After meeting with Marinette, Luka and Adrien took different routes home. Adrien stopped by the bank with the week's deposit while Luka hit up the grocer. It wasn't a surprise that Adrien beat him home, but he was definitely not expecting to find his sweet boyfriend silently staring out at the lights of Paris.

"You okay over there, luv?" Luka asked, pulling out the perishables and tucking them into the refrigerator as fast as he could, bypassing putting the cheese in its usual drawer.

"Hmmm," Adrien hummed.

Abandoning the canned goods on the counter, he crossed the room, slipping his arms around the other man's waist. "Hey," he whispered. "You okay in there?" He pressed a kiss to Adrien's temple. "Need anything?"

"It's just… weird," he said.

"Break it down for me," Luka suggested. "What makes it weird."

Adrien let out a snort. "Our music has inspired an entire fashion line that's going to be launched without a fuck-ton of pre-planning and market research. That's… it isn't something that just happens anywhere. At Gabriel, my… eh… Gabriel was the only one who could get away with releasing an entire line based on an inspiration and even then marketing would be running the numbers to determine how far from the standard he could go and which designs he needed to compromise on. That Miraculous has chosen to do it, and I know they're doing it to keep her happy, means they are willing to fully restructure to keep her in the company. She may not know it, but they don't want to risk losing her to her own brand, which means they think she could make it on her own and quickly become a direct competitor."

"She's kind of amazing," Luka said. He didn't get all the finer nuances, but the basics made sense. "I'm really glad they're giving her the platform to do what she wants."

"Me too," Adrien agreed. His hand pressed against the window frame. "We've caught the eye of someone who has both amazing skill and pure talent. Our names are going on the label of all her clothes. Gabriel didn't never did anything like that for me." He sighed. "A virtual stranger finds me more inspiring than my own father."

"Sperm donor," Luka corrected. Adrien had generally stopped referring to Gabriel as his father two years ago, maybe earlier. But when it came up like this, Luka was happy to point out that the man did not deserve the title. He didn't deserve credit for any of Adrien's successes and happiness.

Adrien snorted. "Back when we first got together, I think I'd be… I dunno, an emotional disaster from this revelation."

"But you're not?" He'd been worried. It had taken Adrien so much time to find his self worth, and he didn't care for anything that threatened it.

Adrien shook his head. "I feel like I should be, but I'm really not." He turned to Luka, careful not to break his hold, a small smile on his face. "Instead I feel like…" He looked up at the ceiling, searching for a word.

"You need your keyboard?" Luka asked, rubbing Adrien's back. Both of them tended to do better with an instrument in hand, particularly when trying to talk about something difficult.

Adrien leaned in quickly and kissed his cheek. "It's a good thing I feel," he pointed out. "Like I'm free, and happy. I could almost fly."

"Oh," Luka said, relaxing as Adrien's joyful aria washed over him. "It is pretty cool."

Adrien grasped Luka's biceps. "It's not just cool. It's like cool to the ninth power. I know you were half joking about us being her muses, but that's what we are. Whether she keeps creating things because of us or not, she's had an explosion of creativity that she traces directly to us. That's a huge thing. A humbling and amazing thing." He bent to rest his face against Luka's neck.

Luka smiled to himself, gently settling his hand in Adrien's stupidly soft hair. "I love hearing you being happy."

Adrien giggled. "I love that you can hear it."

"It's one of my favorite songs, you know," Luka replied. Most of his favorite songs had to do with Adrien. Marinette's enthusiastic capriccio in the cafe had moved onto that list as well. He'd felt it, heard it swell as she showed them the amazing drawings that their music had somehow managed to spark.

Adrien let out a sigh. "Fair warning, I'm probably going to cry later."

"Later?"

Adrien straightened up, and green eyes met blue. "Once my brain calms down I think I'm going to be pretty overwhelmed. But right now…" He thought for a moment. "I feel like I have electricity under my skin and… I think I know what I need to do with that bridge now."

Luka grinned. "Yes! I hoped seeing her would help you through that. She's going to love it." He shook his head. "And having talked with her now, you were spot on with those lyrics."

Adrien beamed back at him. "Wanna go make some music with me?"

"Always, luv." Luka caught Adrien's face in both hands and kissed him lightly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who aren't familiar with the sounds of erhu and dizi, I recommend this Eastern vs Western orchestral battle with [Flight of the Bumblebee](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQS26W3QmfI).


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette gets to hear the songs the guys wrote for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Moar fluff for you all.

As had become her usual lunch routine, Marinette sat on her tripod stool, her pochade box open on her knees as she took in the music and the people, simply at one with Paris. Her creativity had been fully sparked, and she could see herself following this new path for many years to come. 

At first she'd been offended that the board didn't want to make her beautiful new treasures their main line, but in all honesty, it was a fair decision. Her designs were for a different audience than the clients they usually courted. Before she could get too disgruntled, Tikki, CEO and Marinette's long time mentor, proposed expanding the company to include a secondary line going forward, with Marinette at the helm. While it had briefly occurred to Marinette that she could strike out on her own, that would just put her back in the position of pushing herself beyond reason. Having her own line within an established company meant she didn't have to worry about the minutiae of running the business, planning events, and conducting the marketing. She could just focus on the parts she wanted to do.

The board approved the idea as well as her new line, Adruka. The company had been successful enough that they could have added one years ago, and she'd recently started to wonder if they'd been waiting for the right moment or talent to make it happen. That the board eagerly and immediately restructured the company, putting her in charge of the new department was a sign of their utmost faith in her ability. Sure she'd been an exec for a while now, but she was the youngest and most junior by far.

She nibbled on a savory crepe filled with mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach, and Gruyere cheese from Anton and the lemon Italian ice from a new vendor. She was finishing her lunch as she watched Luka and Adrien set up their stage. Meeting with them two evenings back had only added fuel to her fascination. They'd been sweet and humble, and so very real. Her heart hurt at the thought of what Adrien had gone through, living as the son of fashion mogul Gabriel Agreste. Seeing him happy and clearly enjoying his life made her happy, despite how little she knew him. She got the feeling that he was a bundle of energy, while Luka was the sedate calm anchor to keep him calm when times were rough. They were so kind. So pretty. It was totally unfair. Did they have any idea how they made her mentally swoon?

Adrien stood behind a keyboard, which she'd only seen twice in the last several weeks of watching them, and Luka sat on his stool with the erhu on his knee. Adrien spread his fingers over the keys and started an immediately recognizable rendition of Pachabel's Canon in D, with Luka joining in. She fumbled for her phone to record the song so she could share it with Maman on Sunday. 

They performed a second song pairing the two instruments before their usual introduction. Today Luka introduced them while Adrien brought out a glockenspiel to sit atop his keyboard.

"And today we have a couple of new pieces to share with you," Luka said, looking straight at Marinette. 

Surely he didn't mean they were for her, but there was no harm in pretending, right?

"It's a well known fact that Chat Noir is my muse," Luka continued. "But it seems that  **both ** of us were struck by inspiration from the same quarter recently."

Adrien looked up and grinned, turning just a bit to catch Marinette's eye. He winked, then went back to making sure his instrument was stable.

"Neither of us was willing to cede to the other, and we really like both songs, so we're going to share them with you today. You're welcome to guess who wrote which song." Luka stepped back to put his erhu in its case, hauling a well worn guitar strap over his head.

"Before we start," Adrien said, "I'd like to point out that this is not a xylophone. As the bars are metal…" He tapped on a few, letting their bell like sound ring out. "...this is a glockenspiel."

Luka chuckled. "Do you want to share the difference between marimbas and vibraphones, too?"

"Portable vibraphones do not exist," Adrien replied, rolling his eyes.

Luka chuckled. "Yeah. Okay, so this piece is called Your Steps Lead You Back Where You Belong, and it's for someone who we're just going to call Ladybug, because ladybugs are supposed to be lucky, and we feel super lucky to have her in our lives." He glanced at Marinette again. "And I hope you like it."

Marinette found her fingers splayed over the paper in her open pochade, as she stared at Adrien and Luka, barely able to breathe. The music was cheerful but soothing, something she could definitely see winding down at the end of the day with. Having a glass of wine as she watched the sun set over Paris. She wanted that degree of contentment and happiness. It almost hurt, but at the same time, they were giving her a taste of it. Something to tide her over as she moved her life in a positive direction.

When the song ended, her reaction was delayed, but she gently brushed the few tears off her cheeks and applauded along with the rest of their audience. They'd drawn a pretty big crowd today.

Luka's smile was soft and warm, and definitely directed straight at her. "The next song in our recent inspiration set is called Waste Some Time," he announced, randomly plucking at the strings of his guitar as Adrien turned around to snatch up his bamboo flute. He winked at her again before he and Adrien looked at each other and nodded. Luka kicked into a song with jangly guitar, and after a few measures, Adrien added his flute. It was energetic and cheerful, and sounded vaguely Irish influenced. Unlike the last one, this one had lyrics, and Luka's mellow voice sang about the daily pressures of life and the fact that there was never enough time for everything. Adrien took a break from the flute to harmonized with him on the virtues of wasting time.

How did they know her so well after so short a time? She was too flustered and caught up to catch all the words, but what she heard really spoke to her. There would always be too much to do, and too much to think about. Letting things like the dishes and random work slide in favor of enjoying the moment… it was something she needed to do more. As tears welled in her eyes, she wondered if Luka and Adrien would be willing to waste some time with her. Even if she had to settle for friendship, having such understanding and kind people in her life couldn't possibly be a bad thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Pachabel Canon in D](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ptk_1Dc2iPY).  
Adrien's song is The Paperboys [Waste Some Time,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnKnO6mG-Tg&feature=youtu.be&autoplay=1) but with more flute and fewer other instruments.  
Luka's song is essentially Accoustic Trench's [Daylight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaQrs8c2Jkw) only longer. I had linked to an even shorter looping version of this in chapter 2, but it took some time for me to find the title. So you can now go find that if you want to add it to your own collection.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Been busy on cover art for the indie writer gig. I also foolishly got a flu shot when I was recovering from a bad cold, and knocked myself back about two days of recovery. Alas. We live, we learn.

"And this is my atelier," Marinette said, "where I make  **my ** magic. When I'm not doing it at Miraculous, anyway."

Adrien peeked in from the doorway, noting that the room was nothing like Gabriel's home studio. It was smaller and didn't have the totally coordinated look, sterile and foreboding, that suggested it was an extension of her other office space. On one end of the room, she had a sewing machine, serger, and couple of mannequins, one half-dressed. "Do you sew your own prototypes?" he asked in surprise.

"Oh yes. Whenever possible," Marinette said. "The feel of the fabric and watching it come together under my hands is part of my creative process."

Yet another way she differed from Gabriel, who felt assembly of his creations was beneath him. He saw her familiar pochade box on a shelf near her drafting table. There was cluttered ribbon board on one wall beside the table. She had a couple of chairs and a little elevated step perfect for hemming the bottoms of dresses and pants. Swatches of fabric were scattered on both sides of the room. 

"It's very cheerful." He'd expected something somber and perfect, not bright and slightly cluttered.

Luka stepped behind the drafting table and closed his eyes for a moment. "It sounds like you in here." He looked around, and Adrien could tell he was gathering details, probably for another song. Adrien felt unaccountably anxious, and he wasn't at all sure why, but Luka invading her sacred space like that just made it worse. 

"You can come in, Adrien," Marinette said, her voice gentle and sweet. "But I understand if you'd rather not."

Oh. That was it. "You… you  **want ** me in there?" he asked, making sure he hadn't misunderstood. Gabriel had only ever invited him into his atelier to ream Adrien for failing in one way or another.

Marinette smiled and it was like the sun coming out from behind the clouds. "Of course I do. Everyone who's important to me ends up in here at some point."

He looked over to Luka who was throwing him encouraging signals, his shoulders wiggling and his eyebrows arching.

"But if you're uncomfortable with the idea of being this close to fashion or design, you don't have to come in." She shrugged. "You guys showed me your studio when I came over to your place."

"Yeah," Adrien agreed. "But that's our studio. A designer's atelier is sacrosanct." He'd heard that line over and over for as long as he lived with his father.

Her smile dimmed and she crossed the room to stand in front of him. "Maybe for some designers that's true," she said, her voice soft and warm. "But not for me. I draw my inspiration from life, so I need life to come in here once in a while, or I have to seek it out." She slowly reached out and took one of his hands. "I'm sorry I didn't make that clearer."

His eyes stung a little, and he felt stupid. Of course she wasn't like Gabriel.

"I only ask you not to rummage through the cupboards and make a mess," she teased. "Or, more of a mess than I've already made."

"Thank you, Marinette," he whispered. When she let go of his hand and took a step backward, he followed her into the room. Compared to the coldness of Gabriel's space, hers felt downright cozy. "I like it. It really does feel like you." He moved around the room, gradually feeling more comfortable as he took it in. When he got to the drafting table, he looked at the ribbon board and smiled. "Look, Lu, it's us." He pointed to a realistic sketch of the two of them at their usual busking spot along the Seine. 

"Holy crap, that's amazing!" Luka said. "I mean, I knew you were an artist, but…" He shook his head.

"Not all designers can draw more than clothes," Marinette said. "I've always enjoyed drawing my inspirations so I can take them home with me. Photos work sometimes." She pointed out a couple tucked under the ribbons and clutter. "But sketching it makes it mine, puts it in my head in a way photos don't."

Adrien nodded. "Music is like that for me." He never would have guessed there could be a similarity between music and design. He felt Luka's hand slip into his, and he gave his boyfriend a little squeeze to let him know everything was fine.

Marinette reached over and flipped the two papers on her drafting table. They weren't blank as he'd assumed, and once again displayed drawings of him and Luka. "I don't want you to feel obligated, or anything," Marinette started.

"Yes," Adrien said quickly, suddenly quite certain what she was asking.

"Let her finish, luv," Luka suggested with a chuckle.

Marinette giggled. "These are designs that are consistent with Adruka, but they're bespoke."

"Bespoke?" Luka asked.

"One of a kind," Adrien supplied.

Marinette nodded. "I'd like to make them for you to wear to the funders' gala, and you could keep them after that. I might eventually add the designs to the line, but never anything exactly what I make you."

Luka looked completely stunned. Delighted, but stunned.

"Oh my god, yes," Adrien said eagerly. "I  **so ** want to see you in this." He pointed at, careful not to touch, the drawings of his boyfriend in snug pants and a vest that laced up the back reminiscent of corsetry.

"Likewise," Luka murmured appreciatively. "These are gorgeous, Nette. But you really don't have to give us anything else. We're already being paid to work that night."

Adrien rolled his eyes. "These aren't payment."

"Adrien's right," Marinette agreed. "It's purely selfishness, to be totally honest. I'd love to see you both in designs you inspired, and I know that a lot of Adruka would look fabulous on you, but at the same time, it's not your style." She tapped the pages. "Now that I've gotten to know you, I think these would suit you. You could pair the vest with jeans for busking or one of your other gigs," she suggested.

Adrien let go of Luka's hand to hug their tiny designer friend. He and Luka were still hoping they could build that relationship into something less platonic, but they didn't want to scare her off. "You're amazing." He felt himself melt a little as her arms reached around him.

"You guys made me songs," she said into the front of his shirt. "Which was totally unfair and made me cry."

Adrien laughed and slowly let go. "We couldn't help ourselves. You're just that inspiring."

Her cheeks went pink. So adorable. "I love them."

"Good," Luka said. "Because there's probably going to be more of them."

She let out a little squeak. "You don't have to…" She cut off when Luka stretched over to brush her cheek with his thumb.

"You're our muse, Nette," he reminded her. "And I know you understand how that works."

"We couldn't stop the music if we tried," Adrien added. "And we don't want to."

Marinette nodded. "A little warning next time though?" she asked. "I don't want to cry in public again."

"All new songs for you will get a private initial release," Luka agreed.

"And since  **you ** understand about muses," she said, a mischievous look on her face, "you'll let me make you clothes. Right?"

Luka chuckled. "I walked into that one, didn't I?"

"That you did," Adrien agreed. "And yes. We gladly accept."

Luka looked down at the design. "Is this going to make it hard to breathe and move?"

Marinette shook her head. "The back lacing will be entirely adjustable, and the goal is to be snug enough to show you off, but not restrictive. Corsets can be lovely, and tight lacing isn't a requirement for that." She shot them a saucy wink and Adrien suddenly felt hopeful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Marinette wants to make her boys [ corset vests](https://innovacorsetry.com/pages/corset-vest-s-gallery).  
Adrien's is [style 1](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2312/4057/files/3529BF59-45F5-45BF-A1FE-94838D4E5EFF_1944x.jpeg?v=1570053315).  
Luka's is [style 3](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2312/4057/files/68729A56-2617-4A95-A3F0-881DA31B42EC_1944x.jpeg?v=1570050372).


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette is continuing her path toward a healthier life balance, and accompanies her mama to the Dragon Boat Festival.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heads up, this is a long one. It was time to introduce Tom and Sabine, and Dragon Boat Festival seemed a perfect opportunity.
> 
> Italics = Mandarin conversation.

Marinette came out of the metro station near her parents' bakery into the mid-afternoon sunshine. She felt so much lighter and happier than she had that morning, anxiously preparing to meet Alya for brunch. But it had all gone so well, far better than she had a right to expect, to be fair. Sure, it would be some time before they were the kind of close friends they'd once been, but it was definitely a step in the right direction. 

It wasn't the only step she'd taken. Over the last month, she'd started a steady correspondence with Kagami, learning that the other woman had found herself in a situation entirely too familiar to Marinette. Kagami had always been heavily pressured to hold up the family honor and name through fencing titles. Back in lycee, Kagami had been focused and driven, landing herself a spot on the French Olympics team at seventeen. She'd competed twice for France, and would be captain of the Japanese team in the upcoming Olympics. She'd been delighted to get back in touch with a friend, especially one who didn't judge her for getting lost along the way.

The bakery bell jingled and her papa called out a greeting to her. "Ah, my croissant! So good to see you. Your mama will be down in just a moment." He stepped out from behind the counter to give her a cautious hug and kiss her cheeks. "You look lovely. Is this one of yours?" He gestured to her.

Marinette twirled, letting the loose under skirt flare out around her. She'd made new dresses for herself and her mother for today. The top was like a qipao, a long-time favorite of both of theirs, but it had been left open at the side seams starting just below the waist to allow for a loose white underskirt to show liberally through the opening. This aspect was more akin to the Vietnamese ao dai robes and dresses. She thought they felt more airy and cool, suitable for a festival on a warm summer day.

"Thank you Papa. Did Mama show you her dress when she tried it on?" she asked. "She said it fit, but nothing else, and I'm hoping it looks nice on her."

Papa grinned. "Everything you make her looks gorgeous," he insisted.

"But did she like it?" she asked. "You know she'll tell me she loved it, even if she hates it, simply because she's afraid I'll be stupid and go away again." She sighed. It was her own fault, and it was something that was just going to take time to move beyond.

"She loves it," he promised. "And she's so happy you're spending Dragon Boat Festival with her. She's really missed getting to do this with you."

Marinette patted her father's arm. "I've missed it too. Far more than I realized."

" _ Ah, I hear my dumpling _ ," Mama called out in Mandarin as she came down the stairs from the apartment, her feet light and quiet in a way Marinette had never managed.

Marinette looked over to the doorway as her mama swept in, the soft aqua blue of her dress as perfect for her complexion as Marinette had hoped. " _ Oh, Mama! _ " she cried, her hands clasped in front of her as she couldn't quite hold back the way she shifted from foot to foot in excitement. " _ You are so beautiful. _ "

" _ Of course I am. _ " Mama straightened up proudly. " _ My treasured daughter is the very best designer. She always makes me beautiful. _ "

Papa laughed. "You were beautiful to start with, my petit eggroll." While he'd picked up enough Mandarin to get the general idea of what they were talking about, and sometimes join in with his strong French accent, he preferred to speak in either of his native languages of French and Italian. He reached for something under the counter, pulling out a stack of two boxes held tightly together with strings that made a nice handle. "Here's that special order." He held it out to Marinette. "Have a wonderful time at the festival."

⁂

Parc de Choisy in the Quartier Asiatique was vibrant and alive with the festivities. While mid-Autumn Moon and new year were technically more important holidays, to the East Asian community, the weather for the Dragon Boat Festival was often good enough to draw in numbers of both the general Parisian population and tourists. It had become something of a general Asian cultural celebration, though there were dragon boat races on the Seine and children could float little toy boats around the fountain.

They paused briefly to watch a gongfu demonstration, and longer for a group of little girls in swishy pink dresses doing a Mongolian horse dance. Marinette discretely checked the time before encouraging her mama in the direction Fu Sifu's booth was set up. As they neared the area, the rolling and tight sound of a drum filled the air. The drummer was good, periodically tapping the stick against the frame of the drum, reminding her of her mama's favorite traditional Han style music. Eventually a guzheng joined in.

Mama paused for a moment, closing her eyes and sighing happily.

" _ Shall we check out the music, Mama? _ " It had been a surprise to find that Adrien and Luka knew her meditation teacher, and that he'd hired them for a set with their Chinese instruments for the festival. She'd hoped today would provide the perfect opportunity for her mama to hear them play.

" _ Of course, _ " she agreed. " _ We must show the musicians our appreciation. _ "

It was easy to follow the sound, and it led them directly to Fu Sifu's booth, a festive red awning. A couple of meditation mats, a singing bowl, and a portable tabletop fountain were under the awning. Embroidered fabric depicting the body clock and the human body meridian map draped at the back, creating a wall. Luka and Adrien were stationed to the side, encouraging people to approach without blocking the booth. Luka sat with his talented hands dancing over the strings of the guzheng while Adrien stood firmly behind his large drum. She could feel an audience gathering around them and felt fortunate that they'd been among the first, and therefore the closest.

After the first song, Luka started a solo piece from one of Mama's favorite dramas out of China. Marinette glanced at Mama, delighted by the happiness she saw there. This was definitely the best introduction to her new friends. With Mama on her side, Papa wouldn't dare do anything but love them.

Adrien caught Marinette's eye and winked before turning to their cache of instruments. He laid out a variety of flutes atop his large drum, and she wondered what he had planned. 

After the applause at the end of Luka's song, he addressed the audience. "Thank you for joining us at Fu Sifu's booth on this beautiful day. I am Viperion and my partner is Chat Noir, and we're here to share our love of Chinese instruments with you."

Marinette felt her mouth drop open in awe as Adrien repeated Luka's greeting in perfect, unaccented Mandarin. 

Mama's hand caught her wrist. " _ This man would be a nice match for my treasured daughter _ ," she whispered. " _ So talented, respectful of our culture, and he  _ ** _did_ ** _ take notice of you. _ "

Of  **course ** Mama had caught the flirty wink.

"Chat Noir will now demonstrate the versatility of the koudi, paixiao and dizi, his favorite of the Chinese flutes," Luka gestured toward the display of bamboo flutes. While Adrien translated, Luka expertly moved his unwieldy guzheng to the side. 

As Adrien produced beautiful bird calls from his koudi, Luka drew out the distinctive case of his erhu. Marinette realized there was a pipa case on their trolley today, too, and she'd never heard him play that. During their hangouts, she'd learned that Luka tended to focus on the stringed instruments, whether they were plucked, strummed, or bowed. Adrien had a piano background and handled anything with a piano layout, woodwinds, and percussion. She wondered what other instruments she hadn't seen them play at their usual busking performances. Their studio had a wall of large built in shelves, and it hadn't seemed appropriate to dig through them when she'd been invited in. Much as they'd respected her creative space, she felt their studio deserved reverence. The fact that she'd even been allowed into it, made her feel special to them.

Luka followed Adrien's demonstration with one of Mama's favorite songs from her childhood, played on her favorite instrument. Luka glanced up, a knowing smile on his face before he closed his eyes and lost himself in the song.

Mama gazed at Luka with one hand on her chest and and happy tears in her eyes.

Marinette looped her arm through Mama's. " _ I'd hoped he would play this one for you. _ "

The rest of the set was equally lovely, a mix of solo and duet pieces. While Adrien stuck with his dizi for the rest of the songs, Luka eventually switched to the pipa, demonstrating yet another skill Marinette hadn't expected. She fished a handkerchief out of her purse, offering it to Mama as the audience slowly melted away, several going up to speak with Luka and Adrien.

" _ Thank you, Dumpling, _ " Mama murmured. " _ I do want to thank the musicians before we move on. _ "

" _ We will, _ " Marinette promised. " _ Let the others go first while we greet Fu Sifu. _ " She waved toward the booth. Her meditation teacher was a tiny Chinese man who made Marinette feel tall. His dark gray hair was sharply receding and short but a little shaggy in back. He wore a petite goatee and well-groomed double boxcar mustache. He'd traded in his casual Hawaiian print shirt and cropped cargo pants for a red and gold silk suit with frog closures.

" _ Ah, Marinette, Cheng Sabine, enjoying the music on this lovely day? _ " Fu Sifu greeted as he bowed to them.

" _ Good afternoon, Sifu _ ." Marinette returned his bow and carefully removed the top box from the bakery. She held it out to him. " _ A token of my appreciation for all you've done for me. _ "

" _ Thank you. _ " He took the box with a smile. " _ It is a true pleasure to have a student as bright and quick as you, Marinette. _ "

" _ Where did you find French musicians with such skill? _ " Mama asked.

Fu Sifu smiled brightly. " _ They are two of my long-time students. I'm proud to say that I had a role in their meeting several years ago. _ "

It was fun to hear Fu Sifu tell his light-hearted take on the story, when she'd already heard Adrien and Luka's heavier but equally accurate and wonderful version. Adrien had studied Mandarin with Fu Sifu as a private student from childhood. Luka had come to Fu Sifu's meditation courses as an early teen who needed to find a healthy way to resolve the anger he felt after his father abandoned the family. That anger was spoiling all his music. Fu mentioned that Luka had a very special relationship with music, something Marinette had learned was synesthesia, making it extra important that he get his own emotions back into balance. With his anger and abandonment resolved, Fu Sifu began inviting Luka to the cultural events that he hosted, particularly the musical ones. Chinese artists and performers often stayed at the Chinese medicine and meditation center when they were in Paris. At sixteen, Luka took erhu lessons from a performer who was staying for the full summer. By the time the woman left Paris, Luka had enough of the basics to advance on his own with practice and occasional video lessons. Adrien had a harder time getting out of his father's restrictive house, and didn't start attending events at eighteen, initially as a translator to help out his teacher. Adrien and Luka bumped into each other at a specialty instrument shop when they both decided to pursue lessons from members of a visiting quartet. Adrien had been shopping for his dizi while Luka was finally taking the plunge on a guzheng.

While Mama and Fu Sifu talked, Marinette moved to see what her friends were doing. They had finished with the audience and were happily packing up their instruments.

"Hey, Nette," Luka said, not even needing to look up from the large hinged box his guzheng went into. Because their instruments did so much traveling, they'd always invested in the best travel cases available.

"You guys were amazing, as always." She beamed, feeling her breath catch when he finally looked up.

"Did you make that dress?" Adrien asked, stepping over to help Luka load the large case on the bottom of the trolley, beside the drum. "And your mama's? They're gorgeous."

She swished the skirt a bit as she nodded. "How did I not know you speak Mandarin?"

"It never came up I guess." Adrien shrugged. "Do you speak it?"

"Oh yes. Mandarin for Mama's family and Italian for Papa's," she replied. "And terrible English for business purposes."

Luka laughed as he worked to strap down the precious instruments. "I handle Italian and Scots Gaelic at our place. Adrien's a crazy polyglot though." He gently hip-checked his boyfriend. "He's got Japanese, Spanish and English on top of the French and Mandarin. He just doesn't like to brag."

"Well I'm very impressed," Marinette said. Then she changed the subject to take the pressure off Adrien before he could go all shy. "Those flutes were fantastic. I haven't heard a koudi since my grandfather died."

"You should've heard him when he first started playing it," Luka said with a chuckle. "It was like our apartment was infested with birds." He patted the last strap in place.

Adrien grinned. "Good times."

"I brought you treats from the bakery." She held out the box she'd kept.

"Yes!" Adrien cheered, eagerly taking the box and leaning forward to kiss her quickly on both cheeks.

Luka took her hands and gently drew her close enough to give her proper bise, his skin warm and pleasant where it brushed hers. "I'm so glad you were able to catch the full set."

"Me too." She felt stupidly flustered. She saw them regularly, not just at their busking spot along the Seine. She shouldn't be getting so twitterpated just being around them. "And Mama loved it. She wants to meet you."

" _ Are these men your friends, my treasured daughter _ ?" Mama asked, startling Marinette. " _ Are they they ones you were telling us about? _ "

" _ Yes, Mama. _ " She turned and waved for Mama to come closer. " _ But French, please. So Luka can understand. _ " She gestured to them in turn. "This is Luka and Adrien, Mama. They've become both my muses and very good friends to me."

Mama smirked. "It is a pleasure to meet you. Marinette has spoken so highly of you and your music, and your playing today brought my heart such joy."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have some links!  
[Sabine's Dress](https://www.aokdress.com/chinese-dresses/Traditional-Chinese-Women-dresses/chinese-dress-lotus-printed-qipao-retro-oriental-women-s-cheongsam-dress-model-miss-etiquette-stage-performance-dress.html)  
[Marinette's dress](https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32962685731.html?spm=a2g0o.detail.1000060.2.341c10f8Fz8ucO&gps-id=pcDetailBottomMoreThisSeller&scm=1007.13339.146401.0&scm_id=1007.13339.146401.0&scm-url=1007.13339.146401.0&pvid=9de01d3b-cc0d-44d2-868e-5e42cd526ef6), but hers is red  
Luka and Adrien's Setlist  
[Sun Quan the Emperor](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxM1tjTvFAc) \- guzheng (Luka) and drum (Adrien)  
[Unsullied (Fragrant Honey Sinks Like Frost)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpOqKtuE0eE) \- from the drama Ashes of Love - guzheng (Luka)  
[Morning Mist](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YgUfTHladE) \- koudi, paixiao, dizi (Adrien demonstrating various flutes)  
[Jasmine Flower](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thqUc1bf8IU) \- erhu (Luka)  
[Reborn ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mvz-KBhCCWM) \- erhu (Luka) dizi (Adrien sticks with the dizi, instead of switching between xiao and dizi)  
[The Wizard of Oz](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGdPMRnXEMM) \- dizi (Adrien)  
[White Snow in Spring](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksiM1wRcutQ) \- pipa (Luka)  
[The Misty Rain of Jiangnan](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inSYtNQZhvI) \- pipa (Luka) and dizi (Adrien)


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fluffy hangouts with Marinette and the guys.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for my extended absence! Chinese New Year (and the few weeks leading up to it) is a hugely busy time in my life. My daughter does Chinese dance with a studio that produces semi-professional performances, with our huge production in late January. In previous years, she's only had two dances in the show, which meant there was a lot of down time in my role of herding dancers. This year she had four dances and two quick changes (along with several of the girls in my care), so I didn't really have backstage writing time. It was a lot of fun, but exhausting, and it took a week to really recover from it all being over. I hope to be back to a more normal schedule for a bit.

Luka smiled to himself as he watched Marinette coax a rabbit into Adrien's lap. He could hear Adrien's joy skirling into the air like one of his pipe pieces. It was joined by Marinette's happy melody, the two fitting together like a perfectly orchestrated symphony. Unable to resist the music, he pulled out the little kalimba Adrien had given him for their first Christmas. It was more portable than the guitar he'd carried everywhere in high school, or even the ukulele that became his on-the-go instrument of choice for several years after graduation. The kalimba's small case pretty much lived in his day pack, going everywhere with him.

Closing his eyes to better focus on Adrien and Marinette's music, while blocking out the surrounding crowd, he began to pluck his own harmony accompaniment to blend with them. He didn't want to read too much into the fact that the three of them sounded so good together. Okay, he **wanted** to, but he didn't dare get his hopes up so high. Marinette was under stress with her big funders' gala rapidly approaching, and it wouldn't be fair to add anything to her plate until that was over. Without a clear sign from her, it was best to wait. Adrien thought her very active presence in their lives, not to mention the copious amounts of flirting on all sides, were signs enough, but he'd agreed she was worth waiting for. They'd even talked a bit about making an actual plan to discuss things with her, and how to bring it up, once her big event was over. And there was nothing wrong with making her feel loved when she was around them.

When he felt their music swell, he embraced it and enhanced his obbligato. At some point, though he realized he was hearing Adrien and Marinette and they were much too close to still be enjoying the petting zoo.

"...never heard a kalimba before," Marinette said, her voice just above a whisper. "It's so pretty."

"He sounds happy," Adrien said, clearly feeding off Luka's broadcast feelings. That was normal enough, and he loved how in tune they were with each other..

"It's a beautiful sound," Marinette said. "His happiness is lovely to hear."

Startled by how well Marinette seemed to understand how emotion worked for him, he nearly fumbled his thumbs on the keys. Most people found his atypical way of processing weird or incomprehensible. Though there were one or two who were weirdly fascinated by it. He opened his eyes, finding both green and blue ones eagerly watching him. He had to gently clear his throat before speaking. "You two were so cute with the bunnies." He shrugged. "I couldn't help it."

Marinette beamed at him, her joy in the moment a bright arpeggio. "We wouldn't want you to hold that inside." She shook her head, her loose black hair swishing gently with the movement.

He stared at her for a moment, struck all at once by her beauty. For her, it wasn't a surface thing. She was beautiful all the way through. "You're extraordinary, Nette. Clear as a music note and sincere as a melody." Pink blossomed in her cheeks and he would have loved to kiss her. Before he could do anything stupid and throw off their whole plan, Adrien made a shocked face at him over her shoulder. He looked down. "Sorry. Words don't always come easily to me."

"And boy when they do, they pack a wallop," Adrien added, easily helping with damage control.

"Well, thank you," Marinette said quietly, that joy still clear on her face. "I'm honored you think so highly of me." She leaned in, hesitated a moment, then kissed his cheek. "Now come on. I want you two to see the sea lions and otters." Her smile was bright. "They always seem so happy, I think they might fit with your song today."

He numbly packed away his kalimba. When had she started using his language for his emotions? As he got to his feet, his darling boyfriend conspired against him, trapping him between the two of them, their arms linked with his, as Marinette dragged them off toward the pinnipeds.

"Careful, Lu," Adrien whispered in his ear. "Weren't you the one who told me to stick to the plan?"

Luka huffed out a laugh and shook his head. "Thanks for the rescue." He'd been immersed in the music and well over his head. They only had to get through a couple more weeks, then they could try to approach the subject with her at a time when her stress was low and they could take their time working through things without losing what they already had. But this waiting was hell and a half.

* * *

Marinette sat on the little stool behind the mixing board in their studio, her eyes wide as she watched. Her eager waiting wiggles and fidgets were endearing and adorable.

They had both written new songs for her that they wanted to add to their set list for the coming week's busking, and she needed to hear them first. He loved getting to play her songs for her, and he knew Adrien got the same kind of rush. There was something special, sacred even, about giving the music back to your muse. While they hadn't shared half of the pieces she'd inspired, frankly Luka was afraid they'd come off a bit creepy, it had become routine for them to play her two new songs about every few weeks. They were careful to select works that didn't hint too strongly at their romantic feelings. They were both in a ridiculously prolific period, which meant they had a lot to choose from. The last time he'd experienced such a creative streak was shortly after Adrien moved in with him. From experience, he knew there was no fighting it. Trying not to write her songs would trigger insomnia. And he saw no need to interfere with creation; it harmed no one. Experience taught him that it would eventually taper off to a more maintainable level, though her ability to spark new song ideas would likely never fade. Adrien still inspired new music regularly.

As they waited on Adrien assembling his uilleann pipe, Luka met her brilliant eyes over their recording tech. "You sound really happy today."

She beamed at him, a joyful descant. "It's been a really good day."

He nodded, mentally agreeing. They'd gotten together for brunch, something that managed to fit into more of their Sundays than not these days. That led them to a walk in one of the public gardens they hadn't visited together yet; Adrien would remember which one. Then they'd ended up back here watching a movie together. It was coming on evening and they'd spent the whole day together. It was such a comfortable thing, and a really nice way to wrap up the weekend. The first few times it had happened, she'd been apologetic about intruding on their time and overstaying her welcome. It was nice that those concerns no longer cropped up on days like this.

"I really love these Sundays," he said. "They really charge my batteries." He lightly tapped his chest.

"Mine too," she agreed. "I know I'm going to go into work tomorrow, ready to create new things."

The drones of Adrien's pipes let out a steady hum, letting Luka know his boyfriend was ready to play. He glanced over to the other man and nodded once. They'd been playing together for so long they had a whole language of signals for each other.

"This piece is called Flight of the Ladybug," Adrien said, giving Marinette the blinding smile he'd never been allowed to use when he'd still been a model, because apparently his photographers were idiots.

Marinette blushed a little. Apparently hearing her nickname in the title gave it a bit more impact than just knowing the song was for her. Or maybe it was having that thousand watt smile directed at her. Luka raised his fiddle to his chin and let Adrien take the lead. It was a sprightly reel, sure to brighten anyone's day, which made it extra nice to be able to add it to their catalogue.

Marinette sat perched on the edge of her stool, her hands clasped under her chin as she devoted every possible ounce of energy toward listening. Her eyes were bright and the smile on her face broadcast the joy she couldn't contain.

It was exciting to see the scope of what she inspired in both of them, how her mere presence was enough to push them into territory neither visited often. This time Adrien's piece was instrumental, and Luka's had vocals. Adrien was a brilliant lyricist, producing beautiful poetic pieces pretty routinely. Luka was competent but didn't consider himself terribly talented at lyric writing. He tended to overcomplicate them and exhausted himself with the minutiae.This time, however, the words had come easily, telling about a girl who was so amazing he could barely speak around her. It was a patchwork of verses and choruses in various languages, giving them both vocal parts and allowing for some harmony which was always fun, and he'd called it "She Makes me Speak in Tongues." It could be interpreted as marveling instead of pining, though he was pretty sure no one who focused on the lyrics would see it that way. Adrien had been the one to insist they share it today and Luka couldn't bring himself to object too hard; it was currently their favorite of Luka's recent songs, and they'd both been singing it around the apartment pretty non-stop since he finished it. He liked the way his ukulele's sound played with Adrien's djembe. If he thought of Marinette as the lyrics or the song itself, all three of them were represented, and that made him nearly giddy.

They reached the flourish at the end, and he couldn't look away from the awe on Marinette's face. Paired wet trails ran down each cheek, and he was afraid to move, either to set down his uke or to go to her. But he was also afraid that not moving wasn't the right thing to do. "Nette?" He spoke her name softly. Her eyes, shimmering with extra moisture met his, cementing him to the spot for a moment. "Is it… not good?" It hadn't even occurred to him that she wouldn't like it. What if it hurt her in some way? What if **he'd** hurt her?

Marinette flapped her hands at him, sniffling a bit. She shook her head and hastily wiped at her eyes with her index fingers. "No. That was beautiful." She slipped off the stool and cautiously moved around the equipment, her steps somehow both urgent and hesitant as she approached. She held out her arms, head tilted to the side as she flapped her hands again, this time in a beckoning motion. "Can I hug you." She glanced at Adrien. "Both of you?"

His arms were around her, holding her warm and vibrant body close to his before he'd really made a conscious decision on how to handle this. He managed to not smack her with his ukulele, which hung awkwardly from one hand. After a moment, he felt Adrien ease the little instrument out of his grip, and he could embrace her properly. Sure she'd hugged him before, but it was always a quick spontaneous thing, over as fast as a bise. As he rested his cheek against the top of her head, he marveled over how perfect it felt to have her in his arms. It wasn't the same as holding Adrien, but it felt just as right.

After a moment, Adrien's bare hands were sliding up Luka's arms as he joined in the hug, sandwiching Marinette gently between them. Marinette let out a contented hum, squeezing Luka tightly before slowly turning in his hold to return Adrien's hug. She moved in bits, somehow making it clear with small touches on his arms and hands that he didn't need to let go, so he didn't.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Introducing the [kalimba](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWQRD55hzGg) to those who are unfamiliar with it. The kalimba is related to the mbira, but is smaller and has only one row of keys
> 
> This is [The Flogging Reel](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJUuLLuakrg) a traditional piece for Uilleann pipes and fiddle. If you are unfamiliar with this lovely Irish pipe and want to learn more, check out this [Uilleann pipe introduction and demonstration](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MxFsk4sYM4).
> 
> The ukulele and djembe pair together beautifully, but it was hard to find examples that had good sound quality, so I apologize for that. This [cover of Riptide](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoe96XVTC_4) is fun. And [this performance](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxFdZQUySq4) shows a bit more of the versatility.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We all need something fluffy and soft, so have this.

Marinette came awake slowly, in bits. She was warm, comfortable, feeling cuddled on both sides. It occurred to her that it should have felt oppressive, confining, but it didn't. Instead, she felt safe and treasured. After a moment she realized there was music cycling in the background, the intro music to whatever movie she'd thrown in for them to watch, all piled on the futon together. She remembered the beginning, something about a woman at an open air market in a big American city, but must've fallen asleep early on. She'd been putting in some extra hours during the week, cautious not to let work eat her entire life again. She had her own assistant now, and she was getting better at breaking big projects into realistic goals and delegating tasks. She'd even scheduled a week of vacation immediately after the funders' gala.

She vaguely realized that her head was resting on someone's chest, gently rising and falling with his breath. She breathed in through her nose, smiling and rubbing her cheek against him just a bit when she recognized his scent. Adrien had grown up surrounded by high fashion and fame. He hadn't been able to shed the convention of wearing fragrances, though he tended to prefer simple essential oils to colognes. Luka, she realized, was snug against her back. His arm was draped over her to rest his hand on Adrien's hip, a position mirrored by Adrien. It was a very nice place to be, closely held by her two favorite men.

It had somehow become the norm for them to sit close together, tangled in a cuddle pile as they watched movies together. It wasn't unusual for one or more of them dozed off, and this wasn't the first time all three of them had. The futon was laid out for maximum relaxation during their movie, and they'd all come into the afternoon a bit tired. The guys had a private party gig that ran late Friday night, and since she had nothing else going on, she'd stayed up working on a design that she was excited about. So it was no wonder they'd fallen asleep.

The gentle glow through the windows told her it was early morning. Waking like this felt so right, so wonderful. She could stay here all day, basking in the bliss of these two beautiful and amazing men. A part of her brain suggested she had no business taking advantage of the situation. She pushed it away and let herself enjoy the moment.They clearly liked her quite a lot, though it was hard to tell if it was the same kind of feeling she had for them. The three of them had grown so strongly tied to each other after that first meeting, and she could be misreading their tactile flirty nature as romantic interest. Most of their weekends were spent together whether they were enjoying the sights of Paris or simply hanging out. She tagged along to their public shows and busking gigs, coming away with new designs each time. She proudly shared the designs they'd inspired, and they sang her the songs she'd inspired. She'd never truly had a muse, and to have this sort of mutually inspiring relationship was heady and wondrous, but a bit confusing as well. Most of her fellow designers didn't have muses, and Tikki, who had married her muse, was so busy with the upcoming event that they hadn't really had time to chat. Marinette was hoping they could fit something in once that was over. 

Adrien had set up a little drafting table in a well-lit corner of their living room for her. Their apartment was a little small for the times all three of them inhabited the space, but their music studio wasn't exactly portable. She spent a good two weeks creating a space here in case either of them needed to work on something. She'd rearranged one of her spare rooms, adding stools and sturdy music stands like the ones in their studio. They had each left a backup instrument at their first opportunity to do so. That all seemed much more than a friendly relationship, but it could also be part of maintaining their muses' happiness. She sighed. She knew she wasn't just trying to be supportive of her muses. She was trying to woo them, slowly, subtly. She couldn't afford to bungle this and risk losing them. She was as addicted to the inspiration they sparked as she was to the men themselves. 

She was thirsty and her bladder unkindly intruded on the moment of warmth and comfort. Careful not to wake Luka or Adrien, she slowly redirected their hands and disentangled herself from them. After several long minutes, she was able to slip out of bed. When she'd finished tending to herself, she retrieved glasses of water for them. If she woke thirsty, the odds were that they would as well. She gazed mournfully at her former spot, knowing there was no way she could sneak back in without waking them. It was one thing to fall asleep together, and another entirely to knowingly barge in to where they slept. As she was about to turn away, to go to her cold and lonely bed, Luka rolled over, his eyes half lidded with drowsiness.

His hand slowly reached for her, catching her wrist. "Don't go," he whispered.

Warmth exploded in her body, rushing from his touch to her belly. "I'm sorry I woke you." She took a half-step closer to brush his teal-tipped bangs out of his eyes.

He had no business giving her such a sexy smile. "Your absence woke me, Nette." His grip loosened and he slipped his fingers down to hers.

"Hmmmm," Adrien murmured. "Listen to Lu. He knows what he's talking about. We need our Ladybug back."

"I didn't want to intrude," she said, though she was already crawling over Luka to return to her spot between them.

"Not intruding if we want you here," Luka noted, his large hands gently easing her into the opposite position she woke in, her head now resting on his own chest.

"Def'nly not," Adrien agreed as he rolled toward her, nestling against her back.

"Oh," she whispered, relaxing in their hold. "That's good, then."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm effectively starting my third week of extreme social distancing (midway through the second week with kids), and you'd think I'd be able to get some writing done. We've got schedules and are adjusting, and I do get to work from home (while also managing kids and their academics), so I'm hoping to turn this around and be able to use the time well. With my asthma, I need to hold off on exposure as long as I can.
> 
> Hope you're all staying safe and healthy.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At the Miraculous funders' gala.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for your patience as I managed life in quarantine. Hopefully this chapter is good enough to make up for my absence.

Adrien had attended many funders' galas for Gabriel through his formative years. If he wasn't there as a walking sneak peek of the company's latest designs and plans, he was at his father's elbow doing his best to charm their guests. There were plenty of events where he performed both roles. The Gabriel galas had been packed with the most elite and most exclusive of Paris and Europe. They were tense and uncomfortable events, with people sizing him up as an asset or trying to bring public attention to themselves through him.

The Miraculous gala couldn't possibly be more different. While the attendees were still dressed to the nines, the posturing and judgement were entirely absent. There were unrestrained joyful greetings as if many of the attendees were good friends, genuinely happy to see each other. The smiles and laughter in the Miraculous showroom were real and the atmosphere was comfortable and welcoming. Adrien had never known fashion could be like this.

They were fifteen minutes into their first set, and he could feel Luka's eyes on him as he retrieved his bamboo flute. Luka's beautiful and talented fingers continued to dance over his guitar strings, playing a highly stylized intro for Waste Some Time, one of the first of the Marinette-inspired songs they'd shared with their muse. 

Luka took a discrete step back, bringing him within speaking distance. "You okay, Luv?" he asked quietly.

Adrien nodded. "I wouldn't have agreed to this if I couldn't handle it."

Luka nodded. "Yeah, but you're willing to put up with far more discomfort than you should ever have to." His light eyes narrowed a bit. "You sound okay." His voice was questioning.

"I really am." He let out a little laugh. "It helps that this is for our Princess." He shrugged. "And it's so vastly different from the Gabriel galas, that I can't really even connect the two."

Luka smiled and nodded, then turned back to the audience so he could launch into Adrien's lyrics, projecting in the correct direction.

At one end of the room there was an elevated stage, and Adrien could visualize where a runway would be added for their usual release shows. Oval dining tables were clustered nearest the mainstage and high-top tables were scattered elsewhere around the room. He and Luka were performing on a lower stage on one side of the room, midway between the entrance and the larger stage. A gorgeous Parisian backdrop, probably from their studio shoots, hung behind them and they were flanked by functional replicas of the crowned single lamp posts found in the Louvre's Napoleon Courtyard. A dance floor painted to look like cobblestone completed the feeling that they'd transported a bit of Paris street scene into the room. Adrien was delighted to see attendees dancing, with none of the stiff ballroom style that was acceptable at Gabriel galas.

They'd seen Marinette when they arrived to set up. Though she wasn't the event's coordinator, she'd checked in with them to make sure they had everything they needed. She'd been dressed in another one of her masterpieces, combining the timeless look of a qipao with a modern twist in the layered skirting and asymmetrical hemlines. He wondered if she'd actually done all the embroidery herself or if she had a machine stitch in the willow and waterside pavilion.

He'd spotted her on occasion, mingling with the crowd, and clearly very popular. Most of the time she was hidden from view due to her tiny stature. They wouldn't get to truly visit with her until the end of the event anyway. She'd be going home with them so they could decompress together after their instruments were all safely stowed away in the studio. It was a friendly sleepover, something that had become routine, so not  **quite** what he and Lu were hoping for. But if their history told him anything, they'd end up cuddling, and he could never get enough of that. And some point after she came down from the high of tonight, they would have that important conversation with her. They hadn't picked a specific date for it, wanting to gauge her emotional availability, but they'd planned a bit what they wanted to say, the various ways it could go (including the ones where it went wrong). 

* * *

The announcement of Marinette's new line, Adruka, was met by an enthusiastic audience reception. Her presentation and sneak peeks were followed with thunderous applause and cheers, so very different from the acceptable soft claps of the Gabriel funders. Adrien much preferred the uninhibited joy over the feigned indifference of his past galas. 

Though he'd been out of the fashion industry for years now, Adrien could easily see how Marinette's high end artsy line was a good expansion for a company with a reputation for chic and glamorous evening wear. While he'd been happy he and Luka had been hired to perform for this event, it still seemed a bit unusual, even with the more relaxed atmosphere. A brief history of Miraculous, combined with Marinette's introduction of Adruka made the connection clearer. Their music really set the tone for releasing the news to the funders and the media. Their Princess was an artistic genius, not just with design.

After the dinner and presentation, people were mingling again, some even gathering near the dance floor. He and Luka arranged their instruments for the next set.

"Excuse me?"

Adrien looked up to see an Asian woman who looked to be in her forties. Her hair was a red to black ombre and she was clearly wearing a Marinette design, another that combined qipao elements with something more modern. The skirting was layered ethereal fabrics that flowed and swished as she moved. The red was a perfect match for the crown of her head.

She smiled and held out her hand. "I'm Tikki."

Adrien automatically reached out to shake her hand. "Marinette has mentioned you."

"Regularly and fondly," Luka added, shifting his erhu and bow to his left hand so he could extend his own hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"I'm beyond delighted to get to meet the two of you." She grinned before adding, "Finally."

Adrien felt warm happiness bubbling up in his chest. Clearly Marinette had spoken of them beyond them simply providing the entertainment. He knew they were important to her, but hearing it from someone else was a nice confirmation he didn't even know he needed.

Clasping her hands together, Tikki tilted her head slightly. "I've been so worried about her. The whole last year or so, I could see her losing her spark on designs that were amazing but utterly uninspired. I was afraid she was going to burn herself out, and then she came in one day from lunch simply radiating creativity." She lifted her shoulders and hugged herself gleefully. Tikki was very expressive.

There was no way Adrien could keep the smile off his face, and when he glanced at Luka, he could see the same joy there.

"I knew that spark could only have come from her finding her muse." One hand elegantly gestured to the two of them. "Or muses, as it's turned out. I don't even have the words for how happy I am for her and how grateful I am for you two being where she needed when she needed you." She shrugged. "There was obviously a bit of good fortune in that initial meeting, but the three of you have grown close, and that wouldn't have happened without your willingness."

"We've found ourselves mutually inspired," Luka explained. "Having her in our lives has given us a tremendous creative boost as well."

"There are so. Many. Marinette songs in our repertoire now," Adrien added with a grin.

Tikki's expression went soft as she rested one hand just below her collarbones. "Oh that's so sweet. So perfect." She let out a dreamy sigh. "My muse and I have a similar creative relationship." She nodded, one foot shifting back as she prepared to head back to the celebration. "I wish the three of you a partnership as enduring and fulfilling as mine with Plagg." Her smile went mischievous. "I had to keep him, you know. So I married him." She winked and turned away, the embroidered sheer panels of her overskirt swirling around her.

* * *

Adrien was securing the last of the cases to their trolley when the rapid clicking approach of high heels caught his attention. He looked up in time to see Marinette practically launch herself into Luka's arms. His heart leaped at the obvious happiness and affection on both their faces. Luka was always beautiful to him, but seeing him happy was one of Adrien's favorite simple pleasures. Watching the two of them together like this only amplified that.

When he stood up, Marinette released his boyfriend to latch on to Adrien. "You were amazing," he said, not caring that he was squealing like a fanboy. "Oh my god Princess. I knew you were talented and skilled well beyond my father, but you blew all my expectations out of the water." Her presentation had been inviting and welcoming, while his father's were always aloof and cold, implying that mental deficiency was the only reason not to understand his points. She'd handled questions as though the funders were genuinely curious, not as attacks on her genius.

Marinette laughed happily and stepped back from him, beaming at both of them. "It went so much better than I expected. I'd prepared for all these things that could go wrong." She shook her head. "And none of them even came up."

He exchanged a look with Luka. They had both seen what a planner she could be, and they'd had to pull her out of her own spiral of catastrophizing several times in the last week.

"You were brilliant," Luka added. "But we knew that." He looked around the room. The funders and media guests had all departed and the cleaning crew was beginning the methodic breakdown of the room. "Are you done here? Ready to go?"

Marinette shifted from foot to foot with an excess of energy, her whole body wiggling. "Ready," she confirmed. "But I am  **so** wired."

Adrien laughed. "We get that." Good shows could trigger it for either or both of them. "We have your favorite ice cream and Lu's special calming tea all ready to go."

"Plus a few surprises," Luka added.

When they'd planned this sleepover, Marinette cautioned them that she might be too wound up to sleep, so they promised to help her with that. Between Adrien's spa supplies and Luka's soothing playlists, he was sure they could manage the post-show high. And if they did a good enough job, maybe it could become a regular thing that she relied on them for. He'd love that, and he knew Lu was on board, too.

He felt like time completely stopped for just a moment when Marinette swooped in and kissed his cheek. It wasn't la bise, but a proper kiss. He barely registered her doing the same to his boyfriend.

"I'm  **so ** glad you guys were here with me tonight," she prattled on, clearly unaware of how she'd crashed both of their brains. "I mean, I know you were working, and you were just  **perfect** ." She giggled. "We got so many compliments on the ambiance. But it's so much more than that." She beamed at each of them in turn. "I just knew I couldn't fall flat with you two here for me."

Adrien let out a happy sigh, his heart so full. He followed Luka's advice and just let himself be content in the moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sneaking this in during today's jam session (making many blueberry jams). Ideally it won't be so long before the next chapter.
> 
> Marinette's dress [looks like this.](https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-New-Elegant-Chinese-Women-Dress-QiPao-Cheongsam-Evening-Party-Long-Dress-/292167594373)
> 
> Tikki's dress [looks like this one.](https://www.ebay.com/itm/Womens-Chinese-Qipao-Dress-Floral-Elegant-Cheongsam-Dress-Casual-Silk-Ethnic-En-/233440148028)


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A peek at the beginning of Marinette's vacation.

Marinette woke slowly, her limbs feeling far too heavy and relaxed to even consider moving. She gradually opened her eyes, just enough to confirm she was tucked into Adrien and Luka's bed. The heavy curtains were fully drawn, leaving the room shrouded in soothing darkness. She was a little disappointed to wake alone, but she couldn't fault her muses for being awake already. She'd been predictably wound up when they got back to the apartment last night. She hugged herself in happiness as she recalled how they'd helped her relax, the things they'd planned and done just for her.

Adrien had gently nudged her into the bathroom, offering up the most luxurious lavender bath bomb she'd ever seen while Luka started the apartment stereo, filling the space with the most perfectly calming music she'd ever heard. Somehow knowing she'd been too nervous and busy to really eat much at the gala, they had a plate waiting for her as soon as she returned from the bath. Then they'd teamed up to give her a full body massage, their talented hands easing away the stress and pent up energy.

She'd half wanted to talk to them about their relationship, but logic won out. She knew she was too tired to be properly coherent, and as soon as the adrenalin started to fade, she'd crashed hard.

She rolled over and stretched, letting her awareness expand enough to hear soft music playing over the stereo, the murmuring of men's voices, and the gentle thumps and clunks of someone in the kitchen. Her stomach chose that moment to awaken, growling with impatience at the late hour.

Basking in the sense of total contentment, she moved slowly. She pushed aside the blankets and let her bare feet touch the floor eager to see Luka and Adrien but intentionally not rushing. The words from some of Luka's meditations came to her and she smiled. She was truly in the perfect moment right now.

* * *

As if she'd needed any more pampering, Luka and Adrien had planned a lovely day together to launch her vacation properly. They'd sensibly made it mellow, while managing to take her to some of the most beautiful hidden gems of the city she'd always called home. In the last few years, she'd barely paid attention to the amenities and features that made Paris so amazing and inspiring. Their music had brought her back to earth, grounding her and letting her see the world around her as it truly was. She wanted nothing more than to explore the diversity and creativity of Paris through her designs.

"Have you been here before?" Adrien asked. His arm was casually draped over her shoulders as they sat on a park bench overlooking the Point de Seine in Square Barye park. This particular view from the river was very rarely featured in travel journals or brochures of Paris, given its lack of immediately recognizable features. But on a sunny day it was as beautiful as their more famous monuments and architecture.

Marinette shook her head. "I've been to Île Saint-Louis a couple of times… there's an excellent cheese shop down Rue Saint-Louis en l'Île." She nudged him lightly with her elbow and grinned up at him. She was familiar with his love of cheese by this point.

"Ah!" Adrien dramatically placed his free hand over his chest. "I'm feeling so called out here."

She giggled and let herself lean into him, her hand finding its way around his waist. While they had all been free with casual touch since the beginning of their friendship, Adrien had seemed to crave it. She'd seen how quickly Luka could soothe him with a simple caress, and she wanted to be able to do the same. "I was trying to point out a possible place of interest for our outing." She sniffed and looked away, delighted to feel him chuckle against her side.

Luka was slowly pacing along the low brick wall, intently looking out at the river. One hand fidgeted in front of his lips while the fingers of the other twitched in a vague approximation of playing chords on his guitar.

"Lu grew up on a houseboat," Adrien said, apparently following her line of sight.

She hadn't known that, despite their past conversations on childhood and family. But she had noticed an affinity for water and boats, so it made sense. She watched the man pause in front of the railing, looking straight down the Seine. "Does he need his guitar?"

Adrien leaned forward, his arm releasing her as he reached for the case leaned against their bench. "Very likely." He laid the case over their laps tapping open the latches. He lifted up the acoustic and held it out toward Marinette. "Can you bring it to him?"

Marinette reached forward, her hands hesitating before grasping the neck of the guitar. "Are you sure it's okay for me to touch this?" Creative people could have all sorts of taboos about their equipment.

"You're his muse," he said gently. "You're allowed to touch his instruments. It's like you letting us touch your fabrics and designs."

It had taken nearly two months for Adrien to look fully at ease in her atelier. In that time, she'd offered him many assurances that he was welcome there. Nodding, she stood up and carried the guitar over to Luka. She approached from the side, not wanting to startle him but also knowing he was so far into his music that he wasn't hearing her. "Hey Luka," she called softly as she reached out to lightly brush his forearm.

He suddenly met her eyes, blinking like he'd just been woken up.

She held out the guitar to him. "You sound like you need this."

He flashed her a smile as bright as the sunny ones Adrien shared with them, and leaned over the guitar's body to kiss her cheek. It was the same thank-you kiss she'd seen him give Adrien, making it hard to not read more into it than he may have intended. "Thank you, Nette. I really  **do** need this." He turned toward the railing again, and music seemed to pour out of him.

Marinette took a small step back, just enough to lean on the low wall while she watched and listened. After a few moments she thought she could tell which parts were more experimental as she started to identify repetitions and revisions. His music was always beautiful, as was Adrien's, but she had finally hung around with them enough to know when they were sketching their rough drafts and when they were coloring in the final version.

* * *

"Tell me about your boys," Tikki said, smiling and wiggling her perfectly shaped eyebrows.

"They're not  **my** boys," Marinette insisted. It was the middle of her vacation week and they had met up at a cafe to debrief about the gala. Frankly it had been such a success, they didn't really need to discuss it for more than thirty seconds. Apparently that meant her mentor could move on to more interesting topics.

Tikki chuckled and plucked off a bit of her scone to pop into her mouth. "They're your muses."

Marinette nodded. Thinking about them made her happy. She'd spent most of her vacation with them, either hanging out while working on their own arts, actively doing things together, or sitting in the audience with her pochade box while they busked. She already had far more ideas for Adruka than she needed, and they were still coming.

"And you're their muse," the older woman added, smirking.

Marinette straightened up. "Who told you that?" she asked slowly, trying not to react.

It was unfair how smug Tikki looked. "No one needed to tell me, though Luka was polite enough to confirm it."

Marinette shrugged. "Yes. I'm their muse."

"They clearly adore you," Tikki pointed out.

"Yes," Marinette agreed. There was no denying that. "But there are many kinds of adoration."

Tikki sighed and shook her head. "Sweetie, there's nothing platonic in the way they look at you." She reached across the table and patted Marinette's hand. "I don't miss the uncertainty of those early days after finding Plagg. We danced around each other for  **months** , me designing accessories and garments for him while he wrote poetry and plays about me."

"It's a bit more complicated when there's two of them," Marinette said. But to be fair, she didn't want just one of them; they were each so amazing in their own ways. She didn't want to come between them, if that was even possible given how close they were.

"Talk to them, Marinette," Tikki said. "I think you may be pleasantly surprised."

Marinette closed her eyes and sighed, finally voicing the fear she'd avoided acknowledging. "I've never had a muse before, Tikki. What if I bring it up and I ruin things? What if they don't want me around them anymore? I only just found them… I can't lose them."

Tikki gave her a gentle smile, and it felt like she understood. "They won't want to lose you, either. You are clearly very important to them, and you should be careful to avoid hurt feelings over miscommunications." She nodded firmly. "And should you need an out, just tell them that I was being nosy." She leaned back in her chair and grinned mischievously. "I married my muse, and I can be such a know it all, you know."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm gradually getting back to writing and the kids are back in school (physically about 15 feet from me). Thanks for your patience!
> 
> One more chapter to go...

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to visit me over on [Tumblr](https://freedom-shamrock.tumblr.com/). If you have constructive feedback or need to discuss an aspect of this story, I've found that sort of thing tends to work better via direct messaging or asks than the comments section here.


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